Above, a fire is tackled onboard a ship. The recent struggle of Maritime Maisie has brought the issue of Places of Refuge back into focus

Ship owners, salvors and insurers have jointly called for places of refuge for stricken vessels

Shipowners, Salvors and Insurers, through their respective trade associations, have jointly called for the prompt and proper implementation of international measures to provide a Place of Refuge for stricken vessels, following a series of incidents where casualty vessels have been delayed in accessing a safe harbour.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) says that it has noted “with dismay” the refusal by some coastal states to make places of refuge available, thereby risking lives and the environment, even after the high profile cases of Stolt Valor and MSC Flaminia in 2012.

The plight of Maritime Maisie off the coast of Japan has brought this subject back into sharp focus. The 44,000 dwt chemical tanker is being held at sea by six tugs after a collision and fire on 29th December 2013. The cargo fire has now been extinguished through the efforts of the salvors in the face of difficult conditions at sea.

The vessel has been seeking a place of refuge in either the Republic of Korea or Japan for more than a month. The salvors have indicated that it is a priority to take the vessel to calm waters to manage the remaining cargo in a safe manner and so to minimise potential damage to the environment.

Peter Hinchliffe, secretary general, ICS, said: “Guidance on the handling of requests for places of refuge was agreed at IMO but often when a case arises the coastal states concerned take a 'not in my backyard' attitude. This is in marked contrast to attitudes to aircraft in need of assistance. This current case shows that recent lessons have simply not been learned.”

Risk of pollution from casualties

The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI), the International Salvage Union, (ISU) and ICS all recognise that the issue of Places of Refuge for casualty vessels is sensitive and that the risk of pollution from casualties cannot be completely removed. They also recognise that decisions with regard to handling casualty vessels carry political implications and may impact coastal communities.

At the same time, failure to offer a suitable Place of Refuge may prevent successful salvage intervention and therefore allow a casualty’s condition to worsen and lead to pollution.

President of the ISU, Leendert Muller, said: “Our members are right on the front line of this issue. Too often they are unable to follow the best course of action which is to take the casualty into shelter, which does not necessarily have to be a port.”